Online gaming went from a niche hobby to a global industry.
But while you were busy grinding XP, a new kind of experience quietly leveled up: blockchain-powered games.
These aren’t just games with crypto slapped on. They flip the script—giving players real ownership, tradable assets, and even a say in how the game evolves. It’s less “press start” and more “take the wheel.”
In this guide, we dive into all things blockchain gaming and explore how SuiPlay is redefining what it means to play—and to own—online.
Ready? Let’s hit start!
The rise of blockchain games
The concept of blockchain gaming began with modest experiments such as CryptoKitties in 2017, where players could buy, breed, and trade digital cats on the Ethereum blockchain. While primitive in gameplay, CryptoKitties proved that people valued digital ownership.
Since then, the space has evolved significantly. For example, projects such as Star Atlas are building fully-fledged, visually stunning game worlds on decentralized infrastructure. Also, these games incorporate tokens, NFT-based assets, player-driven economies, and other decentralized aspects.
In this context, blockchains such as Solana and Sui are playing a key role. Both platforms deliver high throughput and low fees, enabling games to scale for real-time play without sacrificing user experience.
The result? A new generation of games that are immersive, player-owned, and community-driven.
Traditional online games vs. blockchain games
Blockchain-based games are often compared to traditional online titles such as Far Cry or Call of Duty, and for good reason. That said, blockchain games have often lagged behind—but the gap is quickly narrowing.
Here’s how traditional online games compare to their blockchain counterparts:
- True ownership: In traditional online games, earned or purchased items are locked to your account. In blockchain games, assets such as tokens and NFTs are fully owned by you—tradeable, sellable, and transferable both in-game and on third-party marketplaces, at any time and at any price.
- Open economies: Traditional in-game currencies rarely hold real-world value. Blockchain-based games often feature tokenized economies where players can earn, spend, and exchange assets across platforms beyond in-game marketplaces.
- AAA production: Many blockchain-based games are still early-stage and lack the smooth UX of big-budget titles. However, with increased funding and experienced developers entering the space, this is quickly changing.
Overall, the distinction is becoming less about blockchain vs. traditional games, and more about what kind of gaming experience players want: passive entertainment or active participation in shaping the game’s economy and evolution.
SuiPlay: Powering the next generation of online games
SuiPlay recently launched as the central hub showcasing the latest innovations and developments in gaming on the Sui blockchain.
The platform boasts a diverse array of games such as XOCIETY, a pop shooter with RPG elements, Super-B, a gaming theme park featuring 3D graphics and 12+ game modes, and E4C: Final Salvation, a mobile MOBA game bridging Web2 and Web3.
Enhancing this ecosystem is the SuiPlay0X1, a handheld gaming device designed to seamlessly integrate both PC and blockchain-based games. With a sleek, no-bezel design and robust hardware, it supports a wide range of titles and bridges the gap between traditional and blockchain gaming—all while providing a portable and immersive experience.
In essence, SuiPlay is at the forefront of the next generation of gaming, empowering players with true asset ownership, fostering transparent economies, and delivering innovative gaming experiences.
Blockchain games: The road ahead
Looking forward, blockchain-based gaming is poised for a transformative leap.
We’re already seeing early partnerships between blockchain gaming platforms and mainstream studios. As studios explore tokenized rewards, NFT assets, and community governance, the line between traditional and blockchain gaming will blur.
Seamless onboarding is also on the horizon. Crypto wallet UX is improving rapidly, with email/social logins and embedded custodial options making blockchain games increasingly accessible to non-crypto natives.
Meanwhile, the "play-to-earn" craze is giving way to more sustainable models. Developers are realizing that the most successful games won’t rely on earning mechanics alone—they’ll focus on great gameplay, where ownership and value-adds are a bonus, not the core loop.
Ultimately, the future isn’t about replacing traditional games. It’s about enhancing them. Blockchain technology will simply become part of the gaming stack—a backend technology that enables richer, more interactive worlds where players have real stakes.
In five years, we may stop saying "blockchain game" altogether. We'll just call them games—smarter, fairer, and more player-driven than ever before.
Getting started with SuiPlay and Phantom
Explore gaming on Sui using our browser extensions for Chrome, Firefox, Brave, and Edge—or download our apps for iOS and Android.
To get started, download the Phantom browser extension or mobile app.
Here’s how to set up Phantom on your desktop and jump into E4C: Final Salvation:
- Follow the steps in your respective extension store to add Phantom to your browser
- Open the Phantom browser extension and select “Create New Wallet”
- Key in a secure password and select “Continue”
- You will be presented with your “Secret Recovery Phrase” (seed phrase)
- Be sure to store your Secret Recovery Phrase in a safe and secure location!
- Your Secret Recovery Phrase is the MOST important part of your new wallet:
- Whoever has access to your Secret Recovery Phrase will have access to the wallet’s funds
- If you lose your Secret Recovery Phrase, you will lose access to your wallet and its funds
- We at Phantom never have access to your Secret Recovery Phrase
- Phantom team members will never ask you for your Secret Recovery Phrase
- The Secret Recovery Phrase is the only way to recover your wallet
- After saving your wallet password and securing your Secret Recovery Phrase, select “Continue” to proceed
- After successfully setting up your Phantom wallet, you can access it on the top right-hand side of your browser's toolbar
- Don’t see Phantom? Click the icon that looks like a puzzle piece to access a list of your browser’s extensions, where you will find Phantom
- Click on the pin icon next to Phantom to make the wallet visible in your browser's toolbar and easier to find in the future
- To fund your wallet with SUI tokens, make sure to check out our Apple Pay and Google Pay guide
- Jump into E4C: Final Salvation—just connect your Phantom wallet (top right corner) and you’re ready to play. Good luck out there!
Here’s how to set up Phantom on your phone and jump into E4C: Final Salvation:
- Follow the installation steps of the Phantom app on your device
- Open the app—you’ll be greeted by the Phantom onboarding screen
- Select “Create New Wallet”
- Enable biometric security and click “Next”. This secures your wallet using fingerprint or facial recognition to ensure you are the only one that can access it. We strongly recommend turning this feature on!
- You will be presented with your “Secret Recovery Phrase” (seed phrase)
- Be sure to store your Secret Recovery Phrase in a safe and secure location!
- Your Secret Recovery Phrase is the MOST important part of your new wallet:
- Whoever has access to your Secret Recovery Phrase will have access to the wallet’s funds
- If you lose your Secret Recovery Phrase, you will lose access to your wallet and its funds
- We at Phantom never have access to your Secret Recovery Phrase
- Phantom team members will never ask you for your Secret Recovery Phrase
- The Secret Recovery Phrase is the only way to recover your wallet
- After saving your wallet password and securing your Secret Recovery Phrase, select “Continue” to proceed
- You can enable notifications to get instant updates about your wallet activity. These can also be customized in the Phantom app via Settings > Notifications
- To fund your wallet with SUI tokens, make sure to check out our Apple Pay and Google Pay guide
- Jump into E4C: Final Salvation—just connect your Phantom wallet (top right corner) and you’re ready to play. Good luck out there!
How to bridge tokens to Sui with Phantom?
If you’d like to bridge funds to Sui, use our very own Crosschain Swapper. With our Crosschain Swapper, you can bridge tokens across Sui, Solana, Ethereum, Base, and Polygon right in your Phantom wallet.
Disclaimer: This guide is strictly for educational purposes only and doesn’t constitute financial or legal advice or a solicitation to buy or sell any assets or to make any financial decisions. Please be careful and do your own research.
